Teaching German

Champions League

Champions League quarterfinal draw

Bayern Munich have been drawn against Italian powerhouse Juventus in the Champions League quarterfinals. Borussia Dortmund face the less glamorous Spanish side Malaga.

Champions-League Auslosung Nyon

While Dortmund, the defending Bundesliga champion go into their quarterfinal tie as the clear favorite, Bayern are expected to have a much tougher time against their opponents, Juventus.

"Juventus are the best Italian team at the moment," Bayern head coach Jupp Heynckes said shortly after the quarterfinal draw was made. "A real tough opponent."

At the same time though, Heynckes played down the perceived disadvantage of playing the first game at home and having to seal the deal on the road in the return leg.

"We are just as strong on the road and capable of winning," Heynckes said.

Munich’s sporting director, Matthias Sammer said the decisive factor would be what sort of form either club had on the day.

Two former Bayern players who now work as soccer pundits for Pay-TV station Sky gave the Bavarians a fighting chance of advancing to the semifinals.

"It is a difficult draw that they have to deal with, the odds are 50-50," Franz Beckenbauer said.

"This is a difficult draw, Juventus is capable of playing for a result against any opponent in the world," Stefan Effenberg said.

Bayern Munich open their quarterfinal in their Allianz Arena on April 2. The return match is on April 10 in Turin.

Dortmund in the role of favorite

Borussia Dortmund, on the other hand, said there would be no complacency when they take on Malaga, the surprise team of this year’s Champions League.

"There are no easy matches in the quarterfinals," Dortmund’s chief executive, Hans Joachim Watzke said. "We’d never underestimate Malaga, particularly as they knocked out Porto with a mature performance. We haven’t lost any games in the Champions League, I hope it says that way."